The sun was shining and the stars were in line this Saturday. After Dan was lost and then found my place, we took off for Jersey around four or so. There were no plans or anything, so we bummed around a bit after getting to the Princeton area. We hit a totally lame and sterile Barnes and Noble, Wal-Mart, and then we stopped at a theater to see Drowning Mona. As said by Dan, the movie would be best as a twenty-minute highlight film.

We arrived at the Club a bit after nine, and decided to go outside and walk around for a bit. He headed down a side street, went along Nassau Street, and then got back to the club a bit before The Plan went on. I found my place in the sea of kids and The Plan set off into their Sleepytime Trio-esque noise rock. After two songs I went up stairs to look for Dan, who was coming down the stairs. We took off to go play pool in the maze of rooms upstairs. It was crazy, there was pinball, a TV, a computer room, and beer (which Dan was not able to get to his dismay). After losing in pool, we both came downstairs for the Ivory Coast, a Boston band. They immediately began their assault, and did not let up much during their set. A few of the songs mid-set were a bit off and whiny, but when they rocked, they were quite good. Expect a new album by them soon on Big Wheel Recreation.

The moment neared as Rainer Maria readied up their arsenal and got ready to fire their musical missile into the indie rock stratosphere. This being my fifth time at a RM show, I was torn down the middle with my expectations. I thought I knew what to expect, but I had seen in the past, I never got what I expected. It was always something totally different, yet just as good. From the moment I first heard RM, I knew they were something special. They can tie together everything important about human relationships and say it in a way and with an impact that I never thought possible. The first bomb of the night was "Atlantic", which somehow gained a new side after this night. Kyle began his superhuman acrobatics and Bill pounded as hard as I have ever seen, channeling so much energy out of so thin a frame. "Planetary" and "Broken Radio" were next, packing a one-two punch from "Look Now Look Again". I could feel the passion in the room, emanating from everyone, but most importantly the band. The set was filled out by two excellent new songs, then the incredible, stirring "Tinfoil", an interesting, heavier version of "Rise", and then "Soul Singer". Kyle joked with the audience a bit by telling a French-Canadian joke, and then floored us with the set ending "Breakfast of Champions". A fine set by one of the best, and nicest bands. Perhaps their finest show yet.